Luckyscent
Fragrance X
Indiescents
First in Fragrance
99Perfume
ExcelsisUSA
Parfum1
My Photo
Name:
Location: New York, NY
© Copyright 2005-2011 Perfume-Smellin' Things
All rights reserved
Custom Search

Thursday, April 26, 2012

From the Closet (Again): Patou Colony

By Tom

Patou Colony is a brilliant scent that I shouldn't like at all. Created in the 30's to celebrate the French Colonies, it's a "tropical" perfume in which pineapple plays a major role. That's the part I shouldn't like: I like that fruit on a plate or in a juice, but couldn't see it being in a scent I'd like to wear.

Boy was I wrong..

Marina wrote that "the action in Colony takes place in a pampered, civilized oasis" while in Donna's opinion "it is so very sexy and grown-up, yet it has that hint of tropical romance to it that gives it such a charming character". They're both right. Pineapple here starts off fresh in an opening that if you didn't know better could peg as a Lutens one: sparkling fresh with spicy carnation. Then the fruits start to stew in their juices (and perhaps the tropic sun) becoming syrupy, balancing the flowers with leather and a fair bit of musk.

Colony is sadly, one of those Patou scents that went the way of the buffalo. There are bottles available online at some pretty heady prices. The good news is that the fabled house of Patou has a new owner, a UK company who also now controls Worth and Scherrer have bought the brand and has reached out to Jean Kerléo, Patou's former master-perfumer to work on the scents.  Maybe if we ask real pretty they'll bring this one back.  If they do a Google search on bottle prices they'll find there's an audience for it.

My source was a decant purchased at the Perfumed Court, where it is still available.

7 Comments:

Blogger Σ Pєяƒυмє Pαяα∂ιѕє said...

Your blog was just fantastic and very informative. Thank you for sharing. The point you have discussed here are all very important and people should remember this when they looking Discount Perfume Store.

3:20 AM EDT  
Blogger Louise said...

I adore most of the old Patous, and Colony is one of my favorites. The pineapple note is very prominent in my old bottle, but I've smelled another that was quite leathery. The beauty of the pineapple serves to prove how "fruity-...." has been spoiled as a genre. I do see occasional bottle showing up on ebay and at some etailers.

6:43 AM EDT  
Blogger Vanessa said...

I had a wee mini of this, which I quite like but am not sure what I have done with. Hope I didn't give it away in a swap. That would be just like me. I have a vintage mini of Vacances, mind, which I know where it is and which isn't going anywhere!

12:36 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i enjoy this one, too! if you like colony, try these, which are much easier to come by these days:

patou's amour forever
libertine by vivienne westwood
amazone by hermes

no twins, but definitely in the family.

cheers,
minette

2:35 PM EDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm sorry, i meant patou's forever. got un amour de patou and forever mixed in my brain. forever has a juicy pineapple note. un amour is much lighter and in another family entirely.

cheers,
minette

2:38 PM EDT  
Blogger Flora said...

I love Colony so much - the very apogee of the fruity chypre genre.

I was unaware that Patou's new owners were in contact with Jean Kerleo -dare I hope for the greats to be resurrected once again?

3:43 PM EDT  
Blogger Marin Kovachev said...

I too love Colony so much because of its wonderful flavor and because it is one of the few perfumes that took my mind. Thanks for sharing.

11:21 AM EDT  

Post a Comment

<< Home